McIlroy and Lowry make tidy starts at Cognizant Classic

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry shot matching 67s to sit three shots off the early lead on four-under-par at the PGA Tour's Cognizant Classic in Florida.

Starting on the 10th, McIlroy got off to the perfect start with a birdie on the par-five which he followed with six straight pars.

He's finish that opening nine with a flourish however, knocking in a birdie two on the short 17th and then taking advantage of the par-five 18th to turn in 33 strokes, three-under-par.

Lowry also played the course the wrong way round and after opening with a bogey picked up birdies on 16 and 18 to turn two-under-par. The Offalyman would bogey his 10th hole but an eagle on the third and bogey on the fourth had him movining in the right direction.

Lowry dropped a shot on his penultimate hole but managed to sign off with a birdie to card his 67 and sit in a tie for 13th alongside his countryman.

American Chad Ramey was the early leader after his opening 64 left him in top spot on his own at seven-under-par.

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